Consider Me Gone
by Zivacentric
Summary: Established Zibbs. Gibbs is late for an important date and Ziva leaves an impulsive message. Based on the song "Consider Me Gone."


A/N: Here is another fluffy little one-shot, inspired by the song "Consider Me Gone" recorded by Reba McEntire. You might want to check out the whole song, but I've included the lyrics to the chorus at the beginning of the story, as that was the part that really took me to this place in my Zibbs universe. If you like it let me know; reviews are VERY appreciated. Thanks for reading. Enjoy! =)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything connected w/ NCIS, the song or Reba McEntire

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

**If I'm not the one thing you can't stand to lose  
If I'm not that arrow to the heart of you  
If you don't get drunk on my kiss  
If you think you can do better than this **

**Then I guess we're done  
Let's not drag this on  
Consider me gone**

_I guess you are running late. Well. Maybe I will be here when you get home - and maybe I will not. _

Oh, God. Ziva sat on the couch, head in her hands. As soon as she'd left the impulsive words on his voice mail a bit ago, she'd regretted them. But, dammit. Tonight was important to her and he wasn't here.

Jethro had chuckled earlier in the week when she'd formally asked him out on a date for tonight, but he'd accepted. The past few weeks at work had been beyond hectic. Many nights they hadn't even made it home, and rarely at the same time when they did. She hated how that put distance between them and was determined to do something about it. And tonight was the perfect night for that.

In a stroke of luck, they'd actually gotten out of work on time. They'd headed to their respective cars as they always did, Ziva assuming he'd be home right after her. But it had been over an hour and he still wasn't there.

She trusted Jethro, but still had moments where she just couldn't believe that this was really her life - and that she got to keep it. And in those moments, she felt…vulnerable. Which she hated, of course.

A fat tear trailed down her face. She stood up, agitated, unsure. She couldn't just sit and wait; she had to get out of here.

As she stepped into the foyer, the front door opened and Jethro closed it softly behind him, leaning back against it. His relief at finding her still there was unmistakable.

"Got your message."

The gentleness in his voice cracked her defenses, but it was the understanding in his eyes that completely did her in. When he opened his arms, she all but leaped into them. He caught her close, lifting her off the floor.

"Don't go," he whispered into her hair.

"I do not want to," she confessed. "It's just –" Her voice broke off.

He lowered her feet to the floor and cupped her face in his hands. After smoothing her tears from her cheeks with his thumbs, he finished her thoughts.

"I know. I'm late, and you were hurt – which made you mad," he said knowingly, lightly bumping his nose against hers. She dropped her gaze, but nodded self-consciously.

"And," he leaned in to murmur in her ear, "you thought I forgot."

Her eyes flew to his. Hope flared in her eyes as she grasped his wrists in her hands.

Gibbs moved one hand to his jacket pocket. He drew out a long slender box, handing it to her.

"Happy anniversary," he said softly, with that smile that always made her heart thump in her chest.

Her mouth opened slightly in a silent gasp.

"Go on – open it," he encouraged.

With trembling fingers, she lifted the lid and found a charm bracelet. The links were a lovely mix of gold and silver, and two charms were already attached. One said "Ninja Chick" – which made her snort in a very unladylike manner - and the other was a heart with a small diamond in the center.

"It is beautiful," she whispered, looking at it with a dazed expression.

"The guy at the jewelers said to tell you he's really sorry for making me late. He had to special order this one" – he pointed to the "Ninja Chick" charm – "and it just came in late this afternoon."

She closed her eyes, mortified. She'd left that message and he'd been at the jewelers picking this up.

"Jethro, I - " she hung her head.

He went on as though she hadn't spoken. "One for each year…and room for more." He raised her gaze to his with a hand under her chin. "A lifetime more."

By this time her tears were flooding her face. She raised one hand to the back of his neck, pulling his forehead to hers. He brushed a kiss across her lips then pulled back to look at her.

"Never forget you are everything to me…even when I'm careless about telling you."

She searched his eyes and found nothing but unwavering truth there. Her insecurities melted in the face of it, and suddenly she was laughing and crying at the same time, trying unsuccessfully to stop her tears.

"Will you put it on me?" she asked, wiping at her cheeks.

He smiled and did as she asked. She touched it almost reverently, before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Thank you. I love it. Almost as much as I love you." Then she pulled his mouth to hers in a hot, sizzling kiss that had both their hearts racing.

After they'd pulled reluctantly apart, he said, "Now, I believe I have a hot date tonight. Give me five minutes and we'll head out."

She shook her head. "Do not worry about it; I will cancel the reservation. We won't make it in time."

He smirked and dropped a kiss to her nose – and his keys into her hand.

"We will if you drive."

~ The End ~


End file.
